Uh oh! Another thread about moving to KY. (Louisville, Bowling Green: real estate, rent)
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Hi, we are considering moving our family to KY and would like to get some feedback about certain areas of the state.
The things we are most interested in are the following, in order: churches with active youth groups*, schools, access to quality medical care, and cost of living/"country" living. We also want to live in a safe area, goes without saying .
Generally speaking, we are not big shoppers and don't need lots of entertainment to keep us occupied. Give us a good bookstore, a good internet connection, a few restaurants, natural surroundings, and friendly people, and we should do just fine.
My husband also has a health condition that would benefit from being in a warmer climate (we currently live in PA).
We are looking closely at the following counties, school districts:
Pulaski (Science Hill)
Calloway (Murray) MHS ranks #20 for KY high schools, US News and World Reports
Marshall (Benton)
Warren (Bowling Green) BGHS ranks #10
We're also looking a bit at the Corbin area (my mom grew up there, and I still have relatives in different parts of the state).
CHS ranks #18, and South Laurel HS in London (near Corbin) ranks #11
High school is not the only consideration though, as we have other children in lower grades.
As for jobs, my husband works from home usually, he can work almost anywhere in the state, and I’m a SAHM for now.
As for real estate, we’re leaning towards buying 5 – 10 acres with or without a house on it currently. We’re hoping to keep costs low. We’ll probably rent in the school district we pick at first. At some point I dream of building a strawbale house…we’ll see about that, LOL.
Any opinions or suggestions on any of these places? Anything else we should be considering? We are also considering a couple of places in other states, I’ll put up threads in the appropriate forums for those.
*Church ranks number one on our list, however, we will explore that topic using another route - so if we could focus on schools and the other items mentioned above, I'd appreciate it. Thanks for your input.
Hi, we are considering moving our family to KY and would like to get some feedback about certain areas of the state.
The things we are most interested in are the following, in order: churches with active youth groups*, schools, access to quality medical care, and cost of living/"country" living. We also want to live in a safe area, goes without saying .
Generally speaking, we are not big shoppers and don't need lots of entertainment to keep us occupied. Give us a good bookstore, a good internet connection, a few restaurants, natural surroundings, and friendly people, and we should do just fine.
My husband also has a health condition that would benefit from being in a warmer climate (we currently live in PA).
We are looking closely at the following counties, school districts:
Pulaski (Science Hill)
Calloway (Murray) MHS ranks #20 for KY high schools, US News and World Reports
Marshall (Benton)
Warren (Bowling Green) BGHS ranks #10
We're also looking a bit at the Corbin area (my mom grew up there, and I still have relatives in different parts of the state).
CHS ranks #18, and South Laurel HS in London (near Corbin) ranks #11
High school is not the only consideration though, as we have other children in lower grades.
As for jobs, my husband works from home usually, he can work almost anywhere in the state, and I’m a SAHM for now.
As for real estate, we’re leaning towards buying 5 – 10 acres with or without a house on it currently. We’re hoping to keep costs low. We’ll probably rent in the school district we pick at first. At some point I dream of building a strawbale house…we’ll see about that, LOL.
Any opinions or suggestions on any of these places? Anything else we should be considering? We are also considering a couple of places in other states, I’ll put up threads in the appropriate forums for those.
*Church ranks number one on our list, however, we will explore that topic using another route - so if we could focus on schools and the other items mentioned above, I'd appreciate it. Thanks for your input.
I think you'll do well in Kentucky and find ALOT of places that will fit your list of criteria, although not sure what a "strawbale" house is?
Calloway and Marshall counties are down in SW Kentucky near the Tennessee line and the famous "Land Between The Lakes" which is a REALLY nice area, one of my favorite parts of Ky.
Warren county Kentucky and Bowling Green is a nice area as well. Not to far from Nashville and they have the "Corvette Museum" there as well.....you know, the one that DID have the big sinkhole that swallowed up two corvettes LOL. Seriously though, it's a really nice area.
I think you'll do well here and probably fit right in, especially since you have family here.
I think you'll do well in Kentucky and find ALOT of places that will fit your list of criteria, although not sure what a "strawbale" house is?
Calloway and Marshall counties are down in SW Kentucky near the Tennessee line and the famous "Land Between The Lakes" which is a REALLY nice area, one of my favorite parts of Ky.
Warren county Kentucky and Bowling Green is a nice area as well. Not to far from Nashville and they have the "Corvette Museum" there as well.....you know, the one that DID have the big sinkhole that swallowed up two corvettes LOL. Seriously though, it's a really nice area.
I think you'll do well here and probably fit right in, especially since you have family here.
Well...I was beginning to lean towards Bowling Green until you hinted that we might find ourselves suddenly living in a cavern..
Actually, I see pros and cons to each area and think I'm almost to the point of enlisting opinions from hubby and the kids on the matter.
How are the hospitals in Calloway/Marshall? And are there a lot of tornadoes over there? Is it good land for farming? I don't recall ever being that far West in the state.
Murray has a very good hospital. I have a friend who lives between Mayfield and Paducah but she goes to the Murray hospital. MurrayCalloway My wife has to go to a specialist for her Addison's Disease (Thyroids). The one that's at the Marshall County (Benton) hospital was highly recommended. He is a very good and very thorough doctor. She had to spend a few days in the hospital there and had great care. Marshall County Hospital - Home
I live in Mayfield which also has a very good hospital. Both my parents were patients there. They received great care and the staff is very friendly. Home | Jackson Purchase Medical Center
Murray is also home of Murray State University. Murray State University on the Web You can scroll down and see top rankings the school has earned. They have a great nursing program and, if you're a sports fan, you may remember the Murray State Racer basketball team and their 2011-2012 record of 31-2.
Murray itself is a nice town. Good place for us to sneak off (18 miles away) to eat every now and then. Murray, Kentucky - MyMurray.comCity of Murray, Kentucky
Agriculture is big in this area. Corn, soybeans, and tobacco are the main crops grown. At one time in the late 1920s, Mayfield was the tobacco trading capital of the world.
As far as land, there are place near Kentucky Lake but the problem there is the closer you get to the water, the higher the price. I found 12.5 acres close to the lake for $50,000. http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...3-54726?row=48
You might want to check www.realtor.com and look around Murray, Mayfield, Benton, Cadiz, Princeton, Eddyville.
Hope you find what you're looking for!
Well...I was beginning to lean towards Bowling Green until you hinted that we might find ourselves suddenly living in a cavern..
Actually, I see pros and cons to each area and think I'm almost to the point of enlisting opinions from hubby and the kids on the matter.
How are the hospitals in Calloway/Marshall? And are there a lot of tornadoes over there? Is it good land for farming? I don't recall ever being that far West in the state.
Calloway and Marshall counties arent any worse for tornadoes and severe weather than any other part of Kentucky to be honest. It IS good farmland down there, some of the best in all of Kentucky to be honest that whole Purchase area down there.....and grreeeaatt big old farms I might add as well!
Oops! Sorry, just realized I didn't answer your question about straw bale housing.
It's exactly what it sounds like, houses that are made from straw bales. Some of the positives to this type of building is that straw is essentially a waste product, as I understand it. So it is a green option. It also has a high R-value making it cool in the summer and warm in the winter. It is also surprisingly fire resistant. When a house is completed, it looks like a stone house with lime stucco. It even has the deep window "seats" that stone houses have.
I haven't researched KY's regulations on housing yet, but am hoping there won't be an issue if we decide to go that route.
Here's a couple of links if you are interested in further reading:
Murray has a very good hospital. I have a friend who lives between Mayfield and Paducah but she goes to the Murray hospital. MurrayCalloway My wife has to go to a specialist for her Addison's Disease (Thyroids). The one that's at the Marshall County (Benton) hospital was highly recommended. He is a very good and very thorough doctor. She had to spend a few days in the hospital there and had great care. Marshall County Hospital - Home
I live in Mayfield which also has a very good hospital. Both my parents were patients there. They received great care and the staff is very friendly. Home | Jackson Purchase Medical Center
Murray is also home of Murray State University. Murray State University on the Web You can scroll down and see top rankings the school has earned. They have a great nursing program and, if you're a sports fan, you may remember the Murray State Racer basketball team and their 2011-2012 record of 31-2.
Murray itself is a nice town. Good place for us to sneak off (18 miles away) to eat every now and then. Murray, Kentucky - MyMurray.comCity of Murray, Kentucky
Agriculture is big in this area. Corn, soybeans, and tobacco are the main crops grown. At one time in the late 1920s, Mayfield was the tobacco trading capital of the world.
As far as land, there are place near Kentucky Lake but the problem there is the closer you get to the water, the higher the price. I found 12.5 acres close to the lake for $50,000. http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...3-54726?row=48
You might want to check www.realtor.com and look around Murray, Mayfield, Benton, Cadiz, Princeton, Eddyville.
Hope you find what you're looking for!
Good to know about the healthcare there. We're in a college town now, which I really like, so that's another plus. I'm not much for sports, but my husband likes basketball .
Probably for land, We'd love something with a stream or creek, but don't need to live too close to a lake.
Wow! Very interesting about straw bale houses! It's not used for strength, but as insulation. Is there no concern about it decomposing over time? I know what can be baled up in hay, as I have horses and have found some pretty scary things in hay bales. Do they grow this straw specifically for this use, or are they straw bales used for animal bedding as well?
Some people build with a frame and straw bales, others with the straw bales and rebar or rebar-like materials. The whole thing is covered with lime stucco or some sort of mud stucco that allows it to breathe, reducing the chance to get moldy or decompose. In rainier areas it's recommended that the roof and frame go up first so the straw can be kept dry until ready for use. It has to be carefully covered during construction until it gets plastered.
There's some evidence that straw bale houses resist high winds better than conventional materials, as well as being much more fire resistant.
As for decomposing, there is a house in France built in 1921. A mansion in Alabama (Burritt museum) built in the 1930s. Pioneers in Nebraska built with straw due to lack of wood in the area way before that. There are special precautions to be taken in areas with lots of rain, snow, and humidity, but it's completely doable.
Some people build with a frame and straw bales, others with the straw bales and rebar or rebar-like materials. The whole thing is covered with lime stucco or some sort of mud stucco that allows it to breathe, reducing the chance to get moldy or decompose. In rainier areas it's recommended that the roof and frame go up first so the straw can be kept dry until ready for use. It has to be carefully covered during construction until it gets plastered.
There's some evidence that straw bale houses resist high winds better than conventional materials, as well as being much more fire resistant.
As for decomposing, there is a house in France built in 1921. A mansion in Alabama (Burritt museum) built in the 1930s. Pioneers in Nebraska built with straw due to lack of wood in the area way before that. There are special precautions to be taken in areas with lots of rain, snow, and humidity, but it's completely doable.
Interesting....first time I've ever heard anything about it...
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